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Services

Our primary service is the creation of sustainable results by transforming organizations. We follow the methods and concepts used by Toyota (also known as Lean Manufacturing). The main reason to implement this process is to strengthen the company by improving performance measures. This requires a long-term philosophy and a commitment to the change process. We do not see this happening by implementing portions of the Toyota methods, or the individual “tools” of lean. We prefer to develop relationships to support and guide clients through the process. We believe that this is the best way to develop the process you want, and to continuously improve your operations. We use the following steps as a basis for creating a method that will wok best for you and your company.

Assess your needs

Many people begin the lean journey and struggle with how to get started. Before the question of “how” can be answered, it is critical to get a clear understanding of the needs of your organization, and what you want to achieve. We then individually design an implementation process for your company and your specific needs. The lean process can be used to create a variety of benefits and it is best to understand what the critical needs are to the success and growth of your organization. Overall, the process will yield higher output, improved quality, and a reduction in operational costs.

Assess your capabilities and resources

Your ability to implement is contingent on the skills and abilities of your people, and the quantity of resources (people and time) that can be devoted to the process. There is no minimum requirement, but higher levels of capability and time available will allow the transformation to proceed more quickly. The capabilities of your organization are considered prior to developing an implementation approach. This will also help to determine the amount of support necessary from us, and the frequency of visits.

Develop a plan for success

The plan for success includes many considerations. We strive to develop experts within your company that can continue to drive the process and achieve success after we are gone. We will need to work directly with people that are willing and able to learn, and to work hard to make change happen. We help you identify the correct people to be involved, and the amount of support necessary to achieve the greatest results in the most cost effective manner. We evaluate the best place to start, and establish a time frame necessary to achieve specific targets.

Standardize processes and measure results

Standardization of processes is the foundation for continuous improvement. Our goal is to achieve continuous material flow and standardized operations, which will drive performance improvement. Standardized processes provide the ability to effectively measure results, and to systematically make changes to the value stream that will yield the desired results. There are many challenges and hurdles to reach this level of accomplishment and we provide the necessary guidance to handle them.

Monitor progress and adjust the plan

There is one thing that is true about the implementation process- it is never the same! Every organization has unique challenges and needs that require constant assessment and adjustment to achieve the greatest benefits. As processes are standardized and performance is measured we continuously check progress and re-focus efforts on the critical areas.

Gradually taper off the support

The training methodology used by Toyota (Job Instruction Training) suggests that when the student has mastered a skill the trainer will taper off coaching and follow up. Our goal is to help you reach a level of self-sufficiency as quickly as possible. We want to work ourselves out of a job! We continuously strive to develop the skills and abilities of your people. When they reach a level of capability in one area, we move on to additional skills and allow them to take responsibility for spreading their new knowledge within the organization.

Sample of training offered and methods utilized

We utilize all of the tools of the Toyota Production System during the process. We prefer an integrated approach utilizing the tools to develop a complete self-sustaining system, but we do provide specific training on individual tools. We provide training in the following areas: